macrides



April 22, 1958 GARMENT. CLQSURE Original Filed Nov. 4. 1952 FIG. 6

l lllllllll. 'llllllllllllllllllllul/lll PHILIP C; MA ES u. lll/l1 Y'lllllllun .x n 9 E El F @Wk e I 20v ATTY l IIIIIIIIA i 'Illllllllll P.c. MACRIDES y Re. 24,461

United States Patent O GARMENT CLOSURE Philip C. Macrides, Troy, N. Y.,assignor to Cluett, Pealody & Co., Inc., Troy, N. Y., a corporation ofNew ork Claims. (Cl. 2--128) Matter enclosed in heavy brackets Ilappears in the original patent but forms no part of this reissuespecification; matter printed in italics indicates the additions made byreissue.

This invention relates to' garment closures, and particularly thoseemplyoed on the front of shirts of the negligee type.

An object of this invention is to provide an improved closure forgerments which is particularly adaptable for the shirt front closure ofnegligee shirts, which will provide the appearance and have theadvantages of the socalled French front type of shirt, which will beeconomical in the use of self material, which may be formed with aminimum of manual labor, which will require a minimum of preliminarytraining of operators who make the closures, which will present a neatand attractive appearance, and which will be relatively simple andinexpensive in construction.

Other objects and advantages will appear from the following descriptionand several embodiments of the invention, and the novel features will beparticularly pointed out hereinafter in connection with the appendedclaims.

In the accompanying drawing:

Fig. 1 is a front elevation of a shirt in folded condition, butconstructed in accordance with thisinvention;

Fig. 2 is a front elevation on a full scale, of a portion of the outerpanel of the shirt at the closure, and constructed in accordance withthis invention.

Fig. 3 is a rear elevation of same;

Fig. 4 is a sectional View of a portion of the panel edge shown in Fig.3, the section being taken approximately along the line 4'-4 of Fig. 3;

Fig. 5 is a similar sectional View, but illustratinganother embodimentthereof;

Fig. 6 is another sectional view similar to Fig. 4 but illustratingstill another embodiment of the invention;

Fig. 7 is another sectional view similar to Fig. 6, but illustratingstill another embodiment of the invention; and

Fig. 8 is another sectional view similar to Fig. 6, but illustratingstill another embodiment of the invention.

In the embodiment illustrated in Figs. 1 to 4, a negligee shirt 1 isprovided with'front panels 2 and 3, brought together in a somewhatoverlapping relation to form a closure. The under panel 3 is providedwith a plurality of buttons 4, disposed on the Iouter face of the paneladjacent to the free edge, and these buttons usually pass outwardlythrough button holes 5 in, and near the free edge of, the outer panel 2.The present invention involves changes inthe panel 2. In accordance withthis invention, a marginal strip area 6 of that portion of the frontpanel 2 `which overlies the under panel 3, is folded back upon itselfbetween the overlapping panels 2 and 3, along the line of fold 7 whichthen forms the free edge of the outer panel 2. This marginal strip area6, at its free edge, is turned in between the marginal areav 6 and thefront panel 2, as at 6A.l A reinforcing fabric strip 8 is disposedwithin the fold or space between the marginal strip area 6 and the frontpanel 2, so as to run l 2 lengthwise of the marginal strip area 6 forits full length, and it has a width approximately co-extensive with thewidth of the strip area 6. That side edge of the reinforcing strip whichis remote from the fold line 7 is turned in between it and the striparea 6, and the marginal strip area and the reinforcing strip alongtheir edges remote from the fold line 7 are united or secured together,preferably by a line of stitching 9 which runs lengthwise of themarginal strip area 6. The side edge of the reinforcing strip 8 which isadjacent to the fold line 7, is also united or secured to the adjacentside edge of the marginal strip area 6, such as by a line of stitching10 which also runs lengthwise of the marginal strip area. The buttonhole 5 is formed through the superposed layers of the marginal striparea 6, the reinforcing strip` 8, and the marginal area of the panel 2overlying the area 6.

In Fig. 5, the construction is generally similar to that shown in Figs.1 to 4, except that the reinforcing strip is formed by folding a strip11 of reinforcing fabric lengthwise to form a fold or edge 12 and thisfolded, or double layer of fabric which forms the reinforcing strip isthen disposed between the folded back marginal strip area 6 and theoverlying part of panel 2. This reinforcing strip 11, after folding, hasa width which is approximately co-extensive with the width of themarginal strip area 6, and is disposed between the strip area 6 and thepanel 2, with its fold edge 12 remote from the fold line 7 of the panel2. The turned in edge 6a at the free edge of the marginal strip area 6,merely abuts against the double layers of the strip 11 and a line ofstitching 13 unites both layers of the reinforcing strip 11, themarginal strip area 6, and the turned in edge 6a. The side edge of thefolded reinforcing strip 11 which is adjacent to the fold line 7 of thepanel 2 is secured to the adjacent side of the strip area 6 by stitching14 which is similar to the stitching 10 of Fig. 4. The button hole 5 isformed in the superposed layers as explained in Fig. 4.

In the embodiment shown in Fig. 6, the panel 2 has its marginal striparea 6 formed as in Figs. l to 5, and a reinforcing strip 15 is disposed-along the inside face of the strip area 6, with the turned in, freeedge of the strip area 6 receiving in its fold, the adjacent edge of thereinforcing strip area 15. The marginal strip area 6, along the sideremote from the fold line 7, and the adjacent edge of the reinforcingstrip 15 and the turned in edge 6a are united, such as by a lineofstitching 16, which runs lengthwise of the strip area 6. The edge of thereinforcing strip 15 whichl is adjacent to the fold line 7, is securedto the abutting part of the strip area 6, such as. by a line ofstitching 17 which passes through the strip 15 and strip area 6. Thebutton hole 5 is formed as in Figs. 1 to 5.

In Fig. 7, the turned in edge 6a extends into proximity to the fold line7, and the lines of stitching 18 unite the turned back edge 6a,thereinforcing strip 19 and the strip area 6, along the portions adjacentto the fold line 7 and the opposite edge of strip 19. This constructionshown in Fig. 7, however, uses somewhat more fabric than theconstruction shown in Figs. 1 to 6, but this construction shown in Fig.7 is more uniform -in thickness and less bumpy than the constructionshown in Figs. 1 to 6.

In Fig. 8 the panel 2 has its marginal strip area ,6' folded back uponitself and -a reinforcing fabric strip 20 is disposed within the fold orspace between Vthe marginal striparea 6 and the front panel 2 so as torun lengthwise of the marginal strip area 6, for its full length, itswidth being approximately co-extensive with the width of the strip area6. The side edge 21 of the folded back portion of the panel 2 which isremote from the fold line 7 is preferably what is known as the selvageof the together or united, such as by aline of stitching 23 which` runslengthwise of the marginal strip area 6. The side edge portion of-thereinforcing strip l which is adjacent tothe fold line 7,is also unitedor secured to the -adjacentor corresponding side edge portion of themarginal strip area 6,- such as by a line of stitching 24 which alsoruns lengthwise of the marginal strip area.

While the saving in material cost is a prime-factor in-the abovedescribed invention, the savings realized in operations and assembly aregreatly in excess of material savings. The labor cost of 'the handcutting operation yof the center plait is eliminated, `the cuttingpatternsfor the center plait are eliminated, the training periodnecessary to train a sewing machine operator in the intricacies ofcenter plait assembly is eliminated,as are all the accounting andbookkeeping records which are necessary to accurately post job ticketsat varying rates of pay for different piece work. The time required totrain a hand cutter is about one year, and twelve weeks time is requiredto train a 4sewing machine operator for operations on the center plaitconstruction. These labor and expense savings, plus the saving inmaterial cost, are-important and long sought.

It will be observedfrom the foregoing `that with this new construction,the use of 'the shirting material of the front panel is reduced to aminimum, and the reinforcing strip is of a fabric that is less expensivethan vthe material used in the front panel 2. The labor required to makethis seam shown in the drawings is very much reduced because of thesimple -sewing operations used, which are a minimum' in number. There isalso an additional saving over the center plait type of construction,because when using fabrics that have a pattern or stripe, there is noneed for a separate cutting of the center plait strip and the matchingof stripes or patterns. This means that the fabric of the panels can becut in quantities or many layers in one operation, without regard topattern or stripe, and there is a saving due to the elimination of themanual work that would be required folded back upon itself between theoverlapping panels to define an infolded strip beneath an outer'layerand along a line kof fold forming a free edge of said one panel, areinforcing fabric strip disposed within the fold, running lengthwise ofand in approximate alignment with [the] said infolded strip, and havinga width approxi-l mately co-extensve with the width-of said infoldedstrip, the free edge portion of the infolded strip being turned inwardlybetween the.' body portion of the strips,lv the reinforcing strip beingprovided witha'fold'disposed in approximate alignment with theyfold ofsaidinwardly turned, free edge portion ofthe infolded strip, said foldof said reinforcing strip bein-g disposed against the said folded edgeportion of the infolded strip and unitedy thereto by' [a line ofstitching] a first line of stitching'through said infoldedstripgand-reinforcing strip only, the reinforcing strip being alsounited but only [by a line of stitching] to the inf olded strip by a`further line of--stitching located near the said line of Yfold andparallel tosaid [strip near the said line of fold and parallel to said]rst line of-stitching, .and button hole stitching formed in and unitingsaid outer layer, said reinforcing strip, and said infolded strip, anddisposed between said lines of stitching.

2. A garment having fabric panels with edges overlapping and formingaVclosure, a marginal area of the panel which is outermost at theoverlapping areas being folded back upon itself between the overlappingpanels to define an infolded strip beneath an outer layer and along aline of fold forming a free edge of said one panel, a'reinforcing fabricstrip disposed within the fold, running lengthwise y:of andinapproximate alignment with [the] said infolded strip, and having a widthapproximately co-extensive with the width of said infolded strip, thefree edge portion of the infolded strip being turned inwardly betweentheU body portion of the strips, .the edges of saidkv reinforcing stripbeing stitched along both of its :side edge portions to said infoldedstrip only, and button hole stitching formed in and uniting said outerlayer, said reinforcing strip, and said infolded strip, and disposedbetween said stitched side edges of said reinforcing strip.

3. The garment as set forth in claim 2, said reinforcing stripcomprising a strip of fabric folded lengthwise atapproximatelymidwaybetweenk its sides, and disposed with its lineuoffold 'approximatelyl aligned with the fold of said inwardly turned, freeedge of saidinfolded strip.

[4. The garment as set forth in claim 2, said reinforcing strip` havingits edge that lies along said inwardly turned free edge portion of theinfolded strip, disposed between said infolded strip and its saidinwardly turned free edge portion] 5. The garment as set forth in claim2, said reinforcing strip having its edge portion along said infoldedstrip turned back upon itself along and overlapping [abutting] said-inturned free edge portion of the infolded strip.

6. A garmentrhaving fabric panels with edges overlapping and forming aclosure, a marginal area of the panel which is outermost at theoverlapping areas being folded back upon itself between the overlappingpanelsto define aninfolded strip beneath an outer layer and alongaklineo) fold forming a free edge of said one panel, a reinforcingfabric stripj disposed within the fold, running lengthwise of and inapproximate alignment ywith said infolded strip, and having awidthapproximately co-extensive with the width of said infolded strip, thefree edge portion of the infolded strip being turned inwardly and `beingdisposed between said reinforcing fabric strip and said onter layer,rsaid reinforcing strip having that edge which lies along said inwardlyturned free edge portiony of thejnfolded strip, disposed between saidinfolded strip and theinwrardlywturned free edge portion thereof, the

` 'edges of said .reinforcing strip being stitched along both of theside edge portions thereof to said infolded strip only, and batton'holestitching formed in and uniting said oilterlayer, saidfeinforcing strip,and said infolded strip, and disposed between said stitched side edgesof said reinforcing strip.

References Cited in the tile of this patent or the original patentUNITED STATES PATENTS 1,570,208 f Cronin Ian. 19, 19,26 2,313,521 Diluglio Mar. 9, 1943 2,334,685 Almond et al Nov. 16, 1943 2,410,759lSailer' Nov. 5, 1946 2,601,035 Liebowitz .Tune 17, 1952 2,607,921 IonesAug. ,26,1952

FOREIGN PATENTS '479,374 Great-Britain Feb. 4, 1938

